The Internet has transformed the manner in which both businesses and customers approach commerce. From the business perspective, the Internet has widened the customer base from those located within driving distance from a store, to virtually anywhere in the world with access to the Internet. Small retailers can compete more effectively with large retailers, without the higher costs that are associated with a large physical store. Additionally, distribution networks have been transformed, so that smaller numbers of specialized products can be effectively and efficiently distributed and sold in commerce.
From the perspective of the consumer, the Internet has brought a plethora of new options. Consumers now have available to their goods from any store that has an Internet presence. There is a greater variety of stores and goods, and a greater amount of competition between stores. This competition keeps prices down for consumers.
However, commerce over the Internet is not without its problems. According to many current approaches to electronic commerce (e-commerce), a customer may register with a vendor (such as an online retailer) to receive emails that provide information about products that are offered for sale by the vendor. The emails may include hyperlinks that direct the user to web pages on the vendor's web site. Once they access the web site, the customer may obtain additional information about, and/or purchase, the products described in the emails.
If the customer originally received an email in a dedicated email application such as Microsoft Outlook, a different application (such as a web browser) must be used in order to view the web pages on the vendor's web site. Further, to purchase a product from the vendor's web site, customers are frequently required to enter payment information such as credit card information. Due to this switch to a different application and the entry of credit card information, the process of purchasing a product from the vendor becomes inconvenient and time-consuming.
Further, when non-profit organizations conduct email marketing campaigns, the donation process may be similar to that described above, and may be fraught with similar problems. Therefore, more streamlined and convenient approaches to e-commerce would be advantageous.